Reading Station improvements

[whole diary]

[BerkshireBugsy]

Platform 5 to be in use from Monday morning but as an 8 car platform only.

Platform 6 to be taken out of use to be rebuilt.

In which case I guess both CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) screens at the end of P5/P6 will be active then. I didn't go on the north downs line today but will have a look tomorrow.

[Oxman]

Passed thru Reading (on foot) this morning and very pleased to see so much work going on on a Saturday.

Lots of finishing work on the new platform 5. The third rail is in place and the barrier between the tracks has been removed (although there were still men working on the platform 5 track whilst platform 4 was in use).

To the North of the station, the first decking sections of the new transfer deck had arrived on three large lorries and preparations for the first lift were ongoing - a very large crane was in place. All of the piers for the transfer deck from the new station building to platorm 10 are complete, so the decking should go up quickly.

The signal gantries for the posts that have been erected at the West end of platform 10 had arrived and were being made ready to be lifted in place.

[BerkshireBugsy]

Passed thru Reading (on foot) this morning and very pleased to see so much work going on on a Saturday.

Lots of finishing work on the new platform 5. The third rail is in place and the barrier between the tracks has been removed (although there were still men working on the platform 5 track whilst platform 4 was in use).

If the new P5 is open on Monday am there is a 50/50 chance I may be one of the first to use it when I catch the 0634 to Reigate!

[IndustryInsider]

To the North of the station, the first decking sections of the new transfer deck had arrived on three large lorries and preparations for the first lift were ongoing - a very large crane was in place. All of the piers for the transfer deck from the new station building to platorm 10 are complete, so the decking should go up quickly.

That very large crane, if it's the one I've been told about, will be in situ for around the next six months to lift all sections of the transfer deck into place.

[BerkshireBugsy]

On my journey through Reading this morning, platform 5 was now in use and platform 6 blocked off ready for work.

It also seems the new signal gantry at the east end of p7/8 has been put in place.

It's all happening

[lordgoata]

Noticed this morning that a lot of new track has been laid along by the new depot area, and across the new bridge over Cow Lane. Progressing at quite a pace now!

[mjones]

Platform 6 work moving ahead quickly, it has been demolished already. Just piles of rubble left. Looks like they have demolished the concrete footings as well as the platform deck. Does anyone know why it needed to be completely demolished, is it being re-aligned?

[paul7575]

It might just go back to the different ages and conditions of the two halves of the 4A and 4B islands.  AIUI^▸ (as I understand it) the northern side was built about ten years before the other side, and it looked like two different types of construction were used along its length as well.

Might just be a good opportunity to bring the whole thing up to a decent standard.

Paul

[Oxman]

Couple of pics taken yesterday on my phone:

First is the new platforms 4 and 5, with the now demolished platorm 6. Note the new gantry above the HST^▸ (High Speed Train).

Second is taken form the footbridge looking west across the area where the new north side platform will be. The piers and firts sections of the transfer deck are just behind the crane and the new north station building is on the right, behind the retaining wall.

[BerkshireBugsy]

Couple of pics taken yesterday on my phone:

First is the new platforms 4 and 5, with the now demolished platorm 6. Note the new gantry above the HST^▸ (High Speed Train).

Second is taken form the footbridge looking west across the area where the new north side platform will be. The piers and firts sections of the transfer deck are just behind the crane and the new north station building is on the right, behind the retaining wall.

THanks for the pics Oxman.

Does anyone know if when p6 is finished there will be a wall/seperation between that and p5? at the moment it gets very congested with passengers (mainly on the Gatwick servers) as passengers getting off an on the services trying and do battle with their suitcases in tow

[paul7575]

I'd be surprised if there was any division, it is quite unusual to see it on a pair of terminating platforms.  What there was back when it was P4A/4B didn't seem to help much at all as people used both sides of the platform anyway.

Perhaps when it all settles down they might dedicate services to platforms, eg all the Waterloos on P5/P6 and all the Gatwick/Redhills on P4? Another idea might be to make sure the Waterloo trains leave immediately before the next one arrives.   

There'll also be much more circulating space once the footbridge, lift and escalators are removed, so people shouldn't be clashing at that corner by the lift at least...

Paul   

[BerkshireBugsy]

I'd be surprised if there was any division, it is quite unusual to see it on a pair of terminating platforms.  What there was back when it was P4A/4B didn't seem to help much at all as people used both sides of the platform anyway.

Perhaps when it all settles down they might dedicate services to platforms, eg all the Waterloos on P5/P6 and all the Gatwick/Redhills on P4?  There'll also be much more circulating space once the footbridge, lift and escalators are removed, so people shouldn't be clashing at that corner by the lift at least...

Paul   

Good points Paul. I think part of the problem on P4 is that sometime passengers, who are strangers to the station, don't know which way to exit once they disembark the train. THere are some signs on the wall but maybe it could do with some more. IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly) at one point there was an annoucement on the train as it pulled into Reading "Please exit to the right when leaving the train" but I may be dreaming it.

Dave

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

How is the multi-story car park going to be linked to the station once the existing footbridge is demolished? Will there be a high level link off the new transit deck - although I didn't see any evidence of new piers last time I looked. 

I did try a search before posting this question without success - so sorry if it's been answered before.

[paul7575]

How is the multi-story car park going to be linked to the station once the existing footbridge is demolished?

It isn't going to be linked at all, it will involve a ground level walk. 

Paul

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

Thanks Paul, with the horrible weather outside there seem to be lots of us in the Coffee Shop to-day!

Just hope the ground level walk is enclosed (ie not just covered), else it wouldn't be very pleasant on a day like to-day.